Faculty

Chair, American Indian Studies Interdepartmental Program and Associate Professor of Public Policy, UCLA

Randall Akee is an Associate Professor at the University of California, Los Angeles in the Department of Public Policy and American Indian Studies. He is also Chair of the America Indian Studies Interdepartmental Program. He completed his Ph.D. at Harvard University in June 2006. Prior to his doctoral studies, Dr. Akee earned a Master’s degree in International and Development Economics at Yale University. He also spent several years working for the State of Hawaii Office of Hawaiian Affairs Economic Development Division.

NAVAJO
Assistant Attorney General, Navajo Nation Department of Justice

Rodgerick T. Begay is Todik'ozhi, born for Biih bitoodnii, maternal grandparents are Kinyaa’aanii, paternal grandparents are Tsi’naajinii. Rod grew up on the Navajo Nation in the communities of Whippoorwill and Tselani-Cottonwood. Rod and his wife have been together since high school and have a son and three daughters. Rod is a Chinle Wildcat and received his undergraduate degree from Arizona State University and earned his law degree from the University of Tulsa College of Law.

OHKAY OWINGEH
Indigenous Data Sovereignty Doctoral Scholar

William Carson is a doctoral student (PhD) in the Health Behavior Health Promotion Program at the University of Arizona, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. William's current research is on the history and current role that tribal enrollment laws affect the mental health of Indigenous people. He is also working to examine how COVID-19 policies and legislation impacted Indigenous data sovereignty.

Professor of Practise, Research Scholar, Indigenous Peoples Law & Policy Program

Melanie Clerc has more than twenty years of professional experience working in the field of international human rights law and the rights of Indigenous Peoples at the United Nations. She is currently on Special Leave from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) where she has been working since 2005.

HOPI TRIBE
Director of Tribal Engagement, University of Arizona Cancer Center

Dr. Felina Cordova-Marks (member of the Hopi Tribe) is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Arizona’s Cancer Center. She has been engaged in American Indian health research for over ten years and is also a member of the Hopi Education Endowment Fund Board. Dr Cordova-Marks has published in peer-reviewed journals on lab-based cardiovascular research, clinical cancer research, health disparities, cancer, and American Indian health and caregiving.

Faculty Chair and Co-Founder of the Native Nations Institute
Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development
Faculty Affiliate, James E. Rogers College of Law
Emeritus Director of the Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy
Emeritus Professor of Sociology

ARAWAK TAÍNO
Post-Doctoral Indigenous Data Sovereignty Fellow, Native Nations Institute

Dominique David-Chavez is a postdoctoral research fellow working with the Native Nations Institute at the Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy at University of Arizona and Colorado State University’s Department of Forest and Rangeland Stewardship.

WEST BANK FIRST NATION
Chief, West Bank First Nation

Chris Derickson is currently the elected Chief of the West Bank First Nation and formerly an elected Councillor. In addition, Derickson is the Principle of Derickson Consulting where he works with First Nation communities developing community plans, community engagement strategies, strategic plans, and providing legal research services.

NEZ PERCE
Assistant Professor, Washington State University

Cheryl is currently an assistant professor and an affiliate of the Center for Native American Research & Collaboration at Washington State University. She holds a PhD in Public Management from the School of Government and Public Policy at the University of Arizona. She earned a M.A. degree in American Indian Studies with a focus on Indian Law and Policy from the University of California, Los Angeles. She has research interests in philanthropy, nonprofit management, social enterprises and hybrid organization forms.

Indigenous Data Sovereignty Graduate Scholar

Adam Fernandez is a first generation Chicano student from Walnut, California. He graduated from Northern Arizona University (NAU) in 2017 with a Bachelors in Biomedical Sciences while also receiving a minor in Anthropology. During his final year at NAU Adam joined the Partnership for Native American Cancer Prevention (NACP) research cohort to begin exploring the field of Public Health under the mentorship of Dr. Julie Baldwin.

GRAND TRAVERSE BAND
Professor of Law, and Director of the Indigenous Law and Policy Center. Michigan State University, College of Law

Matthew L.M. Fletcher is Professor of Law at Michigan State University College of Law and Director of the Indigenous Law and Policy Center.

TAOS PUEBLO
Indigenous Governance Program Manager, Native Nations Institute

Tory Fodder (Taos Pueblo) is the Manager of the Indigenous Governance Program. A native of Walters, OK, Dr. Fodder is an S.J.D. graduate of the Indigenous People’s Law and Policy Program at the University of Arizona, James E. Rogers College of Law. Dr. Fodder also holds a J.D. from the University of Arizona, and an A.B. from Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH.

KARAI-KARAI
Assistant Research Professor, Native Nations Institute

Ibrahim earned his S.J.D. at the Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy (IPLP) program at the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law. He has graduate training in philosophy and international human rights law. He has also completed fellowships in bioethics, health policy, and regulatory science.

LUMBEE TRIBE OF NORTH CAROLINA
Director, American Indian Center, University of North Carolina

Danielle is the Director of the American Indian Center at the University of North Carolina and former Senior Researcher and Tribal Outreach Specialist at the University of Arizona's Native Nations Institute. She received her Ph.D. in the American Indian Studies program at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona. She holds a M.P.A. and a B.A. in Political Science with a concentration in Pre-Law from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.

Director, International Human Rights Advocacy Workshop
Associate Clinical Professor
Affiliated Faculty Human Rights Practice & Latin American Studies

Seánna Howard teaches International Human Rights and Indigenous Peoples and the International Human Rights Advocacy Workshop. Professor Howard has been with the Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy Program since 2006, representing indigenous communities on precedent setting cases before the Inter-American and United Nations human rights systems.

HUICHOL & PASCUA YAQUI
Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow, The School of Susainability at ASU & Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University

Lydia (she/her) grew up in Santa Fe, New Mexico (Tewa lands) and is Huichol (Wixáritari) and Pascua Yaqui (Yoeme). Lydia earned her Bachelors of Science from California State University, Monterey Bay in Environmental Science, Technology and Policy. Lydia completed her Ph.D. at the University of Arizona in the Department of Environmental Sciences, with a minor in American Indian Policy.

Senior Researcher, Native Nations Institute, University of Arizona
Research Director, Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development, Harvard University
Graduate Advisor, Indigenous Governance Program

Miriam Jorgensen, a settler scholar, is a Senior Researcher at the University of Arizona Native Nations Institute. At the University of Arizona, she holds the additional titles of Research Scientist at the Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy, Affiliate Faculty at the James E. Rogers College of Law, and Affiliate Faculty in the Graduate Interdisciplinary Program in American Indian Studies.

IWI: TAINUI, TUWHARETOA, KAHUNGUNU, RANGITANE, NGAI TAHU
Senior Lecturer, Research Centre Director MIG (Law), University of Waikato

Dr. Joseph completed his Bachelor and Master of Laws degrees at Waikato and was admitted to the Bar in 1998. He is a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand and was a senior research fellow for the Te Mātāhauariki Research Institute at the University of Waikato under the leadership of Judge Michael Brown and Dr Alex Frame. Dr Joseph completed a PhD in Law in 2006.

Dr. Joseph's full bio>

Ford Foundation Professor of International Political Economy (emeritus), Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government

Joseph P. Kalt, Ph.D., is Ford Foundation Professor of International Political Economy (emeritus) at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, a faculty associate at the Native Nations Institute, affiliate faculty at the James E. Rogers College of Law, and co-founder and co-director of the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development.

Publications

Part-time Professor of Practice
Partner at Hobbs, Strauss, Dean & Walker, LLP

Akilah Kinnison is a Part-time Professor of Practice. She teaches Critical Race Theory. Professor Kinnison's research interests include the application of international human rights law to federal Indian law issues in the United States, including access to health care and repatriation of tangible cultural heritage. 

CROW NATION
Attorney. Former Acting Assistant Secretary, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs at the U.S. Department of the Interior

Del Laverdure is an enrolled citizen of the Crow Nation and is a member of the Ties the Bundle Clan on his Mother’s side.  He is a descendant of the Little Shell Band of Chippewa Indians on his father’s side.  Over his career, Del has served many tribal nations in a variety of capacities and assisted with large scale gaming development projects, assessment, negotiation, and implementation of several federal Indian water settlements, energy and tax counsel on several large projects, tax and energy legislation in Congress, and intergovernmental relations at all levels on a wide spec

PUEBLO OF LAGUNA
Former Governor, Pueblo of Laguna

Dr. Richard Luarkie is a visionary leader with an impressive track record spanning over two decades in economic and business development leadership roles in Indian Country. 

WINNEBAGO TRIBE OF NEBRASKA
President & Chief Executive Officer of Ho-Chunk, Inc.

WIRADJURI & WONNARUA
CEO, Indigenous Allied Health Australia

I am a proud Wiradjuri and Wonnarua woman of the Marrmabidya/Kalari rivers (Paternal Grandfather kinship) and Gringai Clan of the Hunter Valley region (PaternalGrandmother’s kinship) in NSW. I hold an Adjunct Associate Professor (Industry) at the University of Technology, Sydney and have formal qualifications in Community Development, Management, and Indigenous Governance. I am a 2021 Impact 25 Award-winner with Pro Bono Australia and a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (MAICD).

CREE NATION
Director, Department of Justice & Correctional Services, Cree Nation

Donald Nicholls is the Director of the Cree Nation Government Department of Justice and Correctional Services. Under the direction of the Grand Chief of the Cree Nation, he advocates for the rights and interests of the members of the Cree Nation of Eeyou Istchee, whose traditional territory, about half the size of France, is located in Northern Quebec, Canada. The Cree Nation Government oversees the implementation of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement, Canada’s first modern day treaty and comprehensive land claims settlement agreement.

PASCUA YAQUI TRIBE
Phoenix Region Director, National Indian Gaming Commission

Francisco Olea is an enrolled member of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe from the Pascua Pueblo reservation in Tucson, AZ, and serves as the Phoenix Region Director at the National Indian Gaming Commission.

NEZ PERCE
Executive Director, Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission

Jaime Pinkham, Nez Perce, is the Executive Director of the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission. Prior to joining the Commission, he served as the Native Nations Vice President for the Bush Foundation out of St. Paul, Minnesota.

Watch videos of Jaime on the Indigenous Governance Database.

NGARRINDJERI
Professor and Director Indigenous Nations and Collaborative Futures Research, Jumbunna Institute, University of Technology Syndey

Daryle Rigney, Ngarrindjeri, is Professor and Director Indigenous Nations and Collaborative Futures Research, Jumbunna Institute, University of Technology Sydney and formerly the Dean of Indigenous Strategy and Engagement at Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia. He also serves as affiliate faculty at the University of Arizona’s James E. Rogers College of Law.

Director of the Executive MBA Cohort for Aboriginal Business and Leadership, Simon Fraser University

Mark Selman is the Director of the Executive MBA Cohort for Aboriginal Business and Leadership at Simon Fraser University. He is also responsible for directing other customized versions of the EMBA, including a long-running program with Teck Resources. Mark began his professional life as an entrepreneur involved in both construction and manufacturing before eventually turning to academia.

CHAMORU
Luce Foundation Postdoctoral Researcher, Native Nations Institute

Riley Taitingfong (CHamoru) is a researcher and educator working on issues of environmental justice, Indigenous self-determination, emerging technologies, and community engagement. She completed her PhD in Communication at the University of California San Diego, where her project focused on Indigenous governance of genetic engineering technologies known as gene drives. Riley is currently a postdoctoral researcher with Udall and the Native Nations Institute, working on the implementation of CARE Principles of Indigenous Data Governance within data repositories.

Research Professor of Law, James E. Rogers College of Law

Professor Tatum specializes in tribal jurisdiction and tribal courts, as well as in issues relating to cultural property and sacred places. She was a contributing author to Felix Cohen's Handbook of Federal Indian Law, and has written extensively about both civil and criminal procedural issues, as well as about the relationship between tribal, state, and federal courts. Professor Tatum consulted with the Pascua Yaqui Tribe as it became one of the first in the nation to implement VAWA 2013's special domestic violence criminal jurisdiction.

NNI Senior Policy Associate
President, Taylor Policy Group

Jonathan Taylor is an economist with expertise in natural resources, gaming, and American Indian development. He provides counsel to Native nations in the United States and Canada consisting of public policy analysis, strategic advice, and economic research. He has offered expert testimony in litigation and public proceedings for a number of Native American groups.

Regents' Professor Emerita, Georgia State University

Saito is a member of the Georgia Bar and has served on the Committee on the Involvement of Women & Minorities in the Profession and the Georgia Supreme Court’s Commission on Racial and Ethnic Bias in the Courts.  She helped found the Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association and she has served on the Board of Governors of the Society of American Law Teachers (SALT) as well as the Boards of the Conference of Asian Pacific American Law Professors, the Paideia School, the Metro Atlanta Task Force for the Homeless, and the

METÍS
Economist, Big River Analytics

Riel is a Métis citizen, currently living on Algonquin Anishinaabe territory in Ottawa, Canada. 

Riel works as an economist at Big River Analytics. His work focuses on Indigenous economics in Canada, with particular emphasis on Métis labour markets, economic development, and housing need. Riel has a Master's in Economics from the University of British Columbia.

 

Assistant Professor, American Indian Studies, University of Minnesota

Douglas Thompson joined the American Indian Studies Department at the University of Minnesota Duluth in the fall of 2020. He teaches courses for the Master of Tribal Administration and Governance (MTAG) program, the Tribal Resource and Environmental Stewardship (MTRES) program, and the Tribal Administration and Governance (TAG) program. He is from the Redbone community of southwestern Louisiana.

HOPI TRIBE
Executive Director, Native Nations Institute, University of Arizona

Joan is a citizen of the Hopi Tribe from the village of Old Oraibi, she received a B.S. in social work and an M.B.A. from Northern Arizona University.

Prior to joining the Native Nations Institute in 2001, she served as program director of NAU's Center for American Indian Economic Development (CAIED). Additionally, from 1992-1995, she was co-executive director of the National Executive Education Program for Native American Leadership, a joint project of CAIED and Harvard University.

Senior Researcher, Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research, University of Technology Sydney

Alison Vivian, SJD, is a Senior Researcher at the Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning, which is housed at the University of Technology, Sydney. She is also an attorney who has practiced law in the areas of Native title; refugee and humanitarian law, and international human rights law.

LUMBEE TRIBE OF NORTH CAROLINA
Regents' Professor and E. Thomas Sullivan Professor of Law, James E. Rogers College of Law
Faculty Co-Chair, Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy Program, University of Arizona

Robert A. Williams, Jr. is the Regents Professor, the E. Thomas Sullivan Professor of Law and Faculty Co-Chair of the University of Arizona Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy Program. Professor Williams received his B.A. from Loyola College (1977) and his J.D. from Harvard Law School (1980). He was named the first Oneida Indian Nation Visiting Professor of Law at Harvard Law School (2003-2004), having previously served there as Bennet Boskey Distinguished Visiting Lecturer of Law.